“I always had a really good relationship with Shakey,” said Dyer, who scored 39 goals in 265 appearances for Leicester. “We’re from the same part of the world and he used to go out of his way to look after me, especially when I first signed.

“He was really good with all the lads, but he knows different characters need handling differently and I can see him taking that into management.

“We used to talk quite a lot. Sometimes about football, sometimes about other stuff. He’s someone you can go to with anything and he’ll hear you out. Very fair.

Leicester have survived Premier League relegation, won the title, and reached a Champions League quarter final since Dyer left the club, but the fans still gave the 34-year-old a raucous reception before and during the game at the Pirelli Stadium.

Dyer, though, thanked the Leicester fans for the “unbelievable” reaction he was given both before and during the game.

“When you see what the club’s achieved in the last couple of years, you could almost forgive some fans for forgetting what went on before it, but that’s not Leicester fans,” said Dyer.

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“They were always good to me during the time I played there and the reaction they gave me on Tuesday night was first-class – a really nice touch.

“That was my first real chance to thank them. I loved playing for the club, had some great times there and made some friends for life.

“It’s nice as well because my son is a massive Leicester fan now, so they’ll be part of my life for a while yet!”